


Relax

by ticklishraspberries



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Fluff, Fraternizing, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-02 12:16:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17264051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ticklishraspberries/pseuds/ticklishraspberries
Summary: Spencer is sore and stressed; Morgan takes it into his own hands.





	Relax

“What’s wrong, kid?”

 

Spencer was sitting at his desk, face screwed up in discomfort as he rubs at where his right shoulder met his neck, the pain likely caused by falling asleep on the jet in odd positions, mixed with stress from work. But when he hears Morgan’s voice, his hand stops and grabs his pen, tapping his against his desk.

 

“Nothing, I’m good. How are you?”

 

Derek leans against the side of Spencer’s desk, crossing his arms. “Tired, but otherwise good. But don’t like to me, Reid, you’ve been rubbing at that shoulder of yours on and off for hours.”

 

Spencer flushes a little at being caught in his lie, which he should have expected, being surrounded by profilers all day. “Just sore, you know? Sleeping on the plane isn’t very comfortable, but I thought my body would be used to it by now.”

 

The suggestion of painkillers falters on Derek’s lips when he remembers that Spencer avoids medication like the plague after his issues with addiction. He once denied the offer of Advil from Blake, so he knows he’ll get the same answer. Instead, he says: “Want me to give you a massage, pretty boy?”

 

He blushes again, a pink stain spreading across his high cheekbones as he lowers his eyes from Derek, fiddling with his pen again. “No, that’s alright. Thanks though.”

 

“Oh, c’mon,” Derek grins, moving behind Spencer’s chair, resting his hands on both of the other agent’s shoulders. “I just wanna make you feel good, baby boy.”

 

“Morgan, we’re at work,” Spencer splutters. He knows he’s is just trying to embarrass him, but it’s  _ working _ .

 

“Afraid we’ll get in trouble for fraternizing?” Morgan teases, and his thumbs begin to rub circles into Spencer’s muscles.

 

A sigh escapes him before he can muffle it, and his eyes flutter shut. It does feel pretty damn good, he can’t deny that. But it doesn’t last, as Derek’s hands move closer to his neck, Spencer hunches his shoulders with a breathless giggle.

 

Derek’s eyebrows raise, a smirk curling on his lips. “You okay, Reid?”

 

“F-fine!” the doctor replies, though his voice is a bit higher than normal, and his body is tense. Classic signs of nervousness, of lying.

 

And signs of ticklishness.

 

Derek  _ knows _ the younger agent is ticklish. It’s practically common knowledge amongst the BAU members now, another one of Spencer’s adorable traits that make him an easy target of their playful teasing. But it’s fun to pretend he’s forgotten, just as an excuse to test an already proven theory.

 

“The point of a massage is to make you relax,” he says. “You seem anything but relaxed right now.”

 

“No, I’m totally relaxed! Thanks, I feel so much better! I should probably get back to this case file right-  _ Ack! _ Derek!”

 

Giggles spill from Spencer’s lips before he can protest further, curling up in his chair and trying to shield his neck by tilting his head side-to-side, but Morgan’s quick reflexes kept him able to attack the unprotected skin with ease.

 

“This is childish!” the genius whined.

 

“You know what’s childish? You havin’ too much pride to tell me when you’re not feeling good,” Derek replies easily. “This team is a family, Reid, we tell each other things. So grow up and get used to me doting on you.”

 

“Morgan, I can’t breathe–”

 

“Oh, alright, I’ll let you go.”

 

True to his word, Derek stops his tickling, grinning like mad as Reid folds himself forward, clutching his knees like a lifeline as he attempts to catch his breath. His hair is messier than usual from all the thrashing, and he's flushed down past the collar of his button-up. If Derek didn’t know better, he’d assume Spencer was coming from something a lot shadier than a (very one-sided) tickle fight.

  
  
Hotch comes out of his office before either of them can say another word.

  
  
“Morgan, Reid, meet us in the briefing room in ten minutes,” he says, heading towards Rossi’s office to give him the same news. But he stops for a moment, throwing them a look over his shoulder. “And Morgan, nowhere does it state that tickling falls under the category of fraternization, so don’t worry.” With his signature tight-lipped, quick smile, he continues professionally as though it never happened.

  
  
Spencer groans, hiding his face in his hands, and Morgan pokes his side once more before heading up to the briefing room.

  
  
The rest of the team easily notes Derek’s smugness and Spencer’s jumpiness and put the pieces together themselves. It's truly beautiful how in the midst of such terror, the agents find their own little ways to keep happy, sane, and relaxed.

  
  
Although Spencer would never admit it, he's very grateful for Derek Morgan.

 


End file.
